23 photojournalists document the personality of Atlanta, host city of fall convention
Whether the photographers knew Atlanta as the “Chicago of the South” or “ATL” or just “The A,” their assignment was simple: “[C]reate an image — worthy of a postcard — showing that Atlanta is a city that’s always fizzing with excitement.”
In Atlanta, even the buildings have personality. Show the personality of people interacting with those buildings. Or parks. Or vendors. Or visitors.
The photographers on-site at the College Media Association and Associated Collegiate Press national convention in Atlanta definitely set out to cover those visitors, vendors, parks and buildings to document the cultural diversity of the city.
Eager journalism students filled the room, carrying their hopes and dreams with them as they settled into the dingy orange chairs. Chatter bursting with excitement rang in the ears of the staff members leading the workshop tracks.
Rick Green, executive editor and chief content officer of the Press Democrat in Santa Rosa, California, kicked off the workshop by asking staff and students where they were from, as every area of the country was represented in some way.
He asked the students why they were attending the conference.
Responses ranged from “We’re really excited to get different ideas from school and learn how to improve our newspaper.” to “If you have enthusiasm and trust in yourself, anything you’re putting out there, people are gonna listen.” Continue reading “Editor challenges students: get ‘fired up’”
Despite the cold and rain common in New York City this time of the year, 12 college photographers spent time exploring the city as part of the convention photo contest.
Gavin Britton accepts his camera donated by B&H Photo Video from Bradley Wilson. Britton had the image selected as class favorite on-site. Later, judges selected it for third place recognition.
And, for the first time, B&H Photo Video awarded a camera to the photographer who shot the class favorite image — Gavin Britton, a photographer at the University of Portland (Nancy Copic, adviser).
After the convention was over, a panel of 45 judges including college educators, professional photojournalists and scholastic educators judged the images selecting the top three for recognition.
Olivia Reid, University of Massachusetts (Boston) (Charles Henriques, adviser)
Laila Hazel, Southern University and A&M College (Jermaine Proshee, adviser)
Photo by Gavin Britton, University of Portland (Nancy Copic, adviser)
JUDGES: Meagan Abo, Emily Arnold, Judy Babb, Michelle Balmeo, Jane Blystone, Candace Bowen, Kelly Buckner, Pam Bunka, Elise Carlson, Cary Conover, Greg Cooper, Nancy Copic, Kathy Daly, Steven Dearinger, Mark Dolejs, Hunter Doughty, Al Drago, Evan Evenson, Dominick Ferreira, Leslie Fireman, Chris Gillon, Kelly Glasscock, Stephen Green, Tara Haelle, Whitney Huang, Bonnie Katzive, Debra Klevens, John Knaur, Todd Maisel, Erin Martin, Jim McNay, Jackie Mink, Shannon Oden, Lori Oglesbee, Michelle Martinez Rivera, Margaret Sorrows, Jacob Spotts, Matt Stamey, Elizabeth Strehl, Alison Strelitz, Justin Turner, Dustin Vickers, Hillary Warren, Carrie Webbenhurst, Mark Webber, Bretton Zinger
After the convention in Washington, D.C., 44 judges set to work looking over the 32 entries from 19 students in the on-site Shoot-out.
One judge wrote, “(The top images) were head and shoulders above the other entries. Absolutely stunning images.”
Indeed, perhaps for the first time in nearly 20 years, the top entry scored three times higher than any other entry. It was ranked by 77% of the judges and ranked first by 47% of them.
Wrote another judge: “(The top entry) tells a story and surroundings all relate to who the person is.”
The assignment included writing captions with the names of all identifiable people. Judges repeatedly said the quality (or absence) of captions reflected in their rankings.
‘Journalism hasn’t been sustainable for all voices and all people’
When Candace Perkins Bowen and Julie Dodd dreamed up the idea of the Teach-In, it was an idea to connect with local scholastic journalism teachers and to provide them with free sessions on timely topics.
‘Disinformation, Dictators and The Undaunted: Covering the Ukraine/Russia War’
The class
The last-minute addition to the College Media Association Spring National College Media Convention was certainly on a timely topic: the conflict in Ukraine. The course description:
During this session you will first learn context and history for the current Russia/Ukraine conflict including a discussion about Putin, propaganda and power in Russia, and about Ukrainian revolution, civil war, Ukrainian culture and a comedian turned president. Then you will get inside information about what is happening in Ukraine right now, and you will get tips on how to make this global story relevant to your local university or college audience.
The speakers
Michael Finch, Bryan College, moderator
Roxy Lorino, Ukrainian-American film director
Andrew Nynka, editor of the Svboda and the Ukrainian Weekly
B&H Photo Video provides prize for top photographer
It’s been two years since photographers were able to participate in a Shoot-out as part of a national College Media Association convention. Two years ago, the headline was, “11 photojournalists document city in crisis.” This year, the 18 students were assigned to create “an image — worthy of a postcard — showing what life is like in the city that never sleeps after two years of the pandemic.”
Some years, with the judges, a mixture of professional photographers, college photography instructors and media advisers as well as scholastic photography instructors and media advisers, the top entries are close. This year, 43 individuals judged the entries and all but 11 ranked the winning entries as one of their top entries. Nine of the judges said the winning entry was their choice for first place. No other single entry has scored so high in recent years. Continue reading “Shoot-out returns to NYC”
Yvonne Mintz is the editor and publisher of The Facts in Brazoria County, Texas.
It’s not a newspaper most readers would have heard of. The Facts doesn’t compete with USA Today or even the Houston Chronicle, which is right up the road.
It doesn’t need to.
The Facts is just as likely to cover a local softball game or a high school graduation as it is the latest controversy at the town council.
The paper’s motto reminds readers of its mission: “No one delivers local news like The Facts.”
While sitting on a panel talking to college journalists, Mintz expanded on this idea.
‘Post’ managing editor, Krissah Thompson, also tells students to share their passion for journalism
As the managing editor of diversity and inclusion for The Washington Post, Krissah Thompson’s goal for all newsrooms can be summed up in two words: “Think inclusively.”
That was her message to 86 college interns working for the Dow Jones News Fund this summer.
“I think of my role really rooted in coverage and also in jobs,” Thompson said.
She emphasized how diversity, diversity in sources and diversity in who is reporting the stories, helps to develop trust.
“Talking about diversity in sourcing goes to the heart of why diversity matters,” Thompson, the first Black woman to hold the title managing editor at The Post, said. “(Consumers) want to see their communities reflected in all their nuances. They’re looking at who is telling those stories. Do those folks reflect the community they are talking about?”
Like so many college students, Elias Valverde II started his college career pursuing a degree in architecture. Then he changed to political science. Then he switched to art with a concentration in photography. It’s clear he found his passion.
He took a photography class at Tarrant County College.
As he tells it, “The class was centered around a weeklong trip to Cuba where we spent our time walking the streets of Old Havana, mainly doing street photography. However, we often stopped and talked with the local people, asking questions and getting to know them. We found out quickly that the Cuban people were just as curious as were, asking where we were from and why we were visiting. The experience was something I’ll never forget because it was almost like traveling back in time to a place before cellphones and Wi-Fi and that environment really made you live in the moment without distractions.”
It’s not a newspaper most readers would have heard of. 
